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I received a few handouts regarding the new EAMS system while at the San Francisco WCAB yesterday. The WCAB SFO only had a limited number of these documents, so I’ve scanned my copy for everyone else’s benefit.

Everyone knows that EAMS and the WCAB will reject your filings if you’re not registered with EAMS. Did you know that the Judges aren’t sure if EAMS will reject your filings if the employer is not registered?

If a party brings physical paper exhibits, Judges will only be accepting the most important documents for filing (since the WCAB will be doing the scanning)

The parties will be expected to bring any possibly relevant exhibits. Any documents not accepted will be returned to the parties or shredded.

Judges will mainly be accepting just permanent and stationary reports.

A party bringing a CD burnedwith scanned exhibits, will need to submit all medical files and documents which are typically required to be filed with the WCAB.

They will will not have the option of only submitting the most relevant exhibits.

For the time being, normal walk through procedures are gone. Any new case activation would not be assigned a Board number until approximately 3 am after the day of submission. Be ready to drop off your walk throughs the day before you want to obtain approval.

The EAMS forms haven’t been approved by the Office of Administrative Law and won’t be mandatory until approved.

For the time being, every Board will have a telephone conference each morning starting at 8 am with their “command center.”

The decision to go ahead with EAMS starting August 25, 2008 was only made on August 22, 2008!